Strive Mortgages

Strive Mortgages, mortgage brokerage in the UK

Strive Mortgages is a mortgage advice firm based in the UK that works with a broad client base: first-time buyers, homeowners moving house, buy-to-let investors and people who need to remortgage. The company presents itself as a broker not tied to any specific lender, which allows it to search the market for the terms that best suit each profile.

Its team of advisers works with salaried employees as well as self-employed people, contractors and business owners, and also with those who have income from overseas or less common financial situations. The firm states it has passed 300 five-star reviews on Trustpilot and Google.

Mortgage services for purchase, moving and remortgaging

The firm's offering is organised by type of transaction. It includes mortgages for first-time buyers, for those moving home, for buy-to-let and for homeowners who want to let their current home and buy another (let-to-buy). It also covers remortgaging existing mortgages.

The company handles the paperwork and negotiates with lenders on the client's behalf, with the stated aim of making the process clear and trouble-free from application to completion.

Specialist mortgages and complex profiles

Strive Mortgages has a dedicated line for specialist mortgages. This area covers cases of adverse credit history, debt consolidation, foreign nationals, interest-only mortgages, short-term mortgages, non-standard construction properties and joint borrower sole proprietor arrangements. It also covers mortgages with foreign income.

The firm notes that it has experience in complex financial situations, such as those of self-employed people and contractors, and that it looks for solutions in the most difficult cases.

Protection and insurance linked to the mortgage

In addition to mortgage brokering, the company offers protection products: life insurance, income protection insurance, critical illness cover and home insurance. The firm presents them as complements to protect the home and family throughout a long-term financial commitment.

Tools and calculators for the client

The Strive Mortgages website makes several calculation tools available to users: a mortgage repayment calculator, a mortgage affordability calculator and a stamp duty calculator. It also includes an A-Z mortgage jargon glossary and a refer a friend programme.

The affordability calculator explains that most UK lenders apply a multiple of 4.5 times household income, that some may reach five times and that a limited number of lenders could exceed that threshold depending on the deposit, income and credit profile.

Six-step working process

The firm describes its working method in six stages. The client starts by answering some initial questions; then completes a form with their details; next, a phone or video call is scheduled; in that meeting the available options are explained; if the proposal fits, an Agreement in Principle is requested; and, once the property is found, the company supports the client with the application and follow-up through to completion.

Team and founder's experience

The team is led by Jamie Elvin, founder and mortgage adviser with around fourteen years in the sector. Elvin works across the whole mortgage market, with particular depth in self-employed and company director cases. He is a regular columnist for the Express and Mirror newspapers and a commentator for The Times, Sky News and other financial media, as well as having appeared on television several times.

Alongside him are Greg Ayling, who was a bank manager at Lloyds for fifteen years before moving into mortgage advice, and Jack Johnson, an adviser with eight years of experience and a keen interest in renovation projects.

Documented cases

The website includes several case studies that illustrate the type of transactions the firm handles. These include a £520,000 mortgage granted in two working days to first-time buyers with a single income, a £1.35 million interest-only offset mortgage for a private equity partner and the refinancing of a bridge loan after the restoration of a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse.